


High on Peace

by CatherineMorgenstern



Category: Divergent - All Media Types
Genre: Eric being Eric, Eric being an arse, F/M, Valentine's Day, amity, dauntless, leader-in-training, mild violence towards reader (twice)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 13:37:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13614477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatherineMorgenstern/pseuds/CatherineMorgenstern
Summary: As a leader-in-training you’re accompanying Eric to a meeting with Johanna Reyes at Amity. Things do not exactly go as planned and you end up revealing more than intended.





	High on Peace

**Author's Note:**

> First time attempting to write Eric.
> 
> A huge thank you to [mysacredstardust](http://www.mysacredstardust.tumblr.com/), a dear friend of mine over on Tumblr, for nudging me in the right direction on how to accomplish Eric’s speech pattern and, as always, a million hugs and kisses for my fantastic beta, [Heeley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heeley/pseuds/Heeley). You both rock!

 

 

You had your head leant back against the wall with your eyes closed as you hummed under your breath to pass the time. The floor of the train compartment was cold, but you didn’t mind, basking in the feeling of the wind on your face instead, even though the noise from the open compartment door coupled with the pelting rain was almost deafening. The scent of damp earth hung heavily in the air; clean and woodsy as the train passed field after field, speeding towards Amity. Wriggling your leg to the tune in your head, you were startled when a hand clamped around your thigh just above your knee and squeezed harshly.

“Stop that,” Eric growled.   
  
Without even turning your head you knew he was glaring at you. Glancing at him from the corner of your eye, you plastered a sickly sweet smile on your face and asked, “What’s wrong, Eric?”  
  
The glare you were met with was as fierce as you’d expected. It was the kind of look that made grown man piss their pants.

“Cheer up,” you said. “There’s no need to take your bad mood out on me.”

“Highly debatable.”

“Course it is. You wouldn’t be you if it weren’t.”

“Fuck off.”

“Ouch,” you exclaimed dramatically, “I do have feelings, you know?”

“Cry me a river.”

“You could at least try to lighten up. You’re gonna scare the poor Amity to death.”

“Good.”

You took a calming breath. Talking to Eric was like pulling teeth. “I’m as annoyed about this outing as you are, you know.”

“Doubtful,” he snarled.

“Would it kill you to use a full sentence?”

Eric rolled his eyes and said bitingly, “It’s your fault I’m even out here.”

“My fault?”  
  
“Yes.”

“How? Please, do enlighten me, oh fearless leader of mine.”

Narrowing his eyes while clenching his jaw at your insolent tone, he said, “I’m only here because you can’t be trusted to handle this alone.”

You stared at him. “Riiiight. And the improved Emergency Procedure Protocol all Factions need to be briefed about has nothing to do with it? A Dauntless leader would’ve had to come out here anyway. That’s hardly my fault.”

“You’re missing the point, initiate.“

“I’m not an initiate!” you snapped. “And for fuck’s sake could you please be so kind as to elaborate why on earth you think I could possibly be the one to blame for this so I can debunk that ridiculous statement and you can finally pull that stick out of your arse?”

Eric gave a long suffering sigh before he said slowly as though talking to an imbecile, “If you didn’t need to be supervised at all times like a useless toddler anyone else could’ve done the job. I would’ve made damn sure it wouldn’t have been me.”

“That’s bullshit. Max would’ve sent you anyway.”

He glowered at you, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “And what makes you think that?”

“A number of reasons; you’re the youngest leader and, call me crazy, but I’ve got a hunch that no one is dying to go out to Amity pretty much ever, so that would’ve made you the prime candidate anyway - which is also the reason for you being responsible for my charming self, by the way - plus you’re intimidating as fuck to others and Dauntless gets a kick out of letting Amity know who’s really in charge. None of which is my fault.”

He snorted. “You talk too much.”

“Maybe, but I’m still right.”

“The reason I’m on my way to fucking Amity right now is because you need to learn this shit. In my book, that makes it your fault.”

“You’re a dick, you know that?”

That elicited a smirk. “I think you said I’m intimidating as fuck.”

You arched a condescending eyebrow at him. “To others,” you emphasised a little snappily. “I’m Dauntless. You don’t scare me.”

The smirk vanished and his expression was wiped clean, suddenly it became impenetrable and distant. The look in his grey-blue eyes was so icy it sent a shiver down your spine, a sharp reminder of just who it was you were dealing with. Eric’s reputation had preceded him even before you’d joined Dauntless and having him as your trainer during initiation had given you a front  row seat to see for yourself that he’d earned every bit of it. He was as demanding, ruthless and merciless as they came.

That image of him standing on the rooftop after the ceremony was still emblazoned on your mind. He’d made you uneasy from the very first time you’d looked into those cruel, glacial eyes. In the beginning, you’d truly despised him. To say Eric was a hardass in training was an understatement. You’d been beyond exhausted at the end of each session; not only physically, but also mentally and you’d cursed his name more than once. Not when he was anywhere in the vicinity, though, you didn’t have a death wish, after all. Four was much easier to deal with and his training methods were so much more productive. Or so you’d thought.

Then Capture the Flag had happened where Eric had nominated you to be on his team and somehow that had changed everything.

He’d led his team with an iron fist, not letting the initiates decide anything by themselves, instead commanding you like the soldiers you were training to become. He was determined to win, whatever the cost, and you … well, you could empathise with that. That was the first time you’d not only discovered something you had in common with the young Dauntless leader, but also found yourself appreciating the experience of what it would be like to be an actual soldier.

And you’d liked it.

No.

_You’d loved it._

Your team had won and ever since then you’d found yourself gravitating more and more towards Eric. Maybe seeing him in action was the catalyst for you to understand the benefits of his style of leadership; the necessity of it. Or maybe that experience finally made you leave behind your former views on how people should interact with each other that were based on Candor’s understanding of the world. In any case, looking back now, Capture the Flag was the moment you’d truly become Dauntless in spirit.

“You wanna repeat that?” he said in a deceptively calm tone.

Eric stared you down. Normally, you’d respond with a snippy remark, but over these last few months of leadership training during which you’d been shadowing him, you’d gotten to know him well enough to recognise that he was in no mood for it. And you knew the kind of punishments he could come up with; he was in every position to make your life at Dauntless hell and he wouldn’t so much as bat an eye.

“No,” you replied, sounding way smaller than you’d intended.

“Didn’t think so. Now shut the fuck up, initiate.”

You took a deep breath and bit back your protest at him calling you that. It wouldn’t be a good idea to rile him up further.

The rest of the train ride was spent in tense silence, so you watched the scenery pass by and let your mind wander.

This was only your second journey to Amity. During the first one you’d still been an initiate when your trainers had taken you all to the fence, so you hadn’t actually seen much of the faction and its people. Truth be told, in school you’d often found yourself annoyed at the dependants from Amity with their overly enthusiastic and cheerful attitude that was basically the exact opposite of your disposition. It hadn’t helped that they also stood against everything Candor held dear. According to the Amity, the most important task was to keep the peace at all costs, so they were perfectly fine with telling white lies and staying neutral in conflicts. But you couldn’t deny that you were excited to see how their faction worked and, also, how Eric would behave towards them as you couldn’t quite gauge whether he’d be all standoffish and overbearing or would try to be diplomatic for the sake of inter-Faction relations. You’d bet your own ass on the former.

Looking back at the landscape, you were just as impressed now as you’d been then. It was silly, but growing up in the middle of the City, you’d never seen so much green in one place and you found it oddly soothing. Soon, you could see the first glimpses of the settlements.

Chancing a look at Eric, you were about to ask where you’d jump off when he got up.

“Get ready.”

Oh, great. You knew that particularly clipped tone; he was seriously pissed off.

“Exceeded your word quota for the day, have you? You should rea—“

Before you’d finished your sentence, you felt yourself being lifted off the floor and were flying through the air. You would have screamed, but you were briefly paralysed out of pure shock. Before you knew what was happening, your training kicked in and you automatically tucked and rolled, softening the landing to avoid breaking any bones. But you still landed face-first on the ground and were unable to avoid eating a fair amount of dirt. Well, mud. Though the relentless rain had stopped for now, everything was still very much wet. Gasping, you slowly picked yourself up, checking for injuries as you did so.

He’d thrown you out of the fucking train! That stupid, good-for-nothing bastard!

You watched him land effortlessly beside you; precise and fluid in his movements. And always tensed. Always ready to strike. More than once he’d reminded you of one of those deadly, jungle cats you’d read about at school.

“What the hell?!” you screeched and your nostrils flared in rage, though your heart was still racing and you felt the way you always did after a death-defying stunt with adrenaline rushing through your veins, making you feel alive. That was the reason you’d been drawn to Dauntless and you had a hard time keeping the grin from your face despite your anger at the blond jerk. You were caught between seething anger and feeling exhilarated.

Eric was ignoring you anyway as he started to walk towards the tree-lined path that led to Amity, trusting that you’d follow. Cursing a blue streak under your breath, you stomped after him as you wiped your face with the sleeves of your jacket and tried to brush off as much mud from your clothes as possible. People might expect your faction to be wild, but you’d like to make a good impression as a leader-in-training to the head of Amity anyway, thank you very much. Not only because you were certain Eric would tan your hide if anything you did reflected badly on him even if he was the one responsible for it. He’d made that clear more than once.

You slung your arms around your waist as you got nearer, keeping a few steps between you and him while trying your very best to make him catch fire with your glare alone. The orchard that stretched on either side of the path leading to Amity was dark and almost gloomy despite the fact that it was still afternoon. But even from halfway down the road you saw light spilling out of various windows of the wood and glass buildings ahead that seemed to beckon you closer. You hoped they’d offer some hot beverage to warm you up, maybe even a fireplace to sit down in front of. It was the middle of February and the dreary weather had made the temperatures drop considerably.

Eric led you to the second wooden building on the left. Looking at you over his shoulder, he jerked his chin to indicate you should walk closer behind him.

“You done sulking?” he asked disinterestedly.

Your first impulse was to give a fierce reply but you thought better of it, though you had to bite your lip so hard you almost drew blood to keep yourself from giving him a piece of your mind. Instead, you acquiesced and gave a sharp nod, still disgruntled.

“Good.”

The arrogance in his voice made you itch to do something; tackle him, trip him up, slap him on the back of his stupid head … but not only did you know he’d punish you severely for it but also that you didn’t stand a chance against him in a physical fight. Oh, you were more than decent at fighting, but even if you’d have all the advantages in the world, Eric would still be more experienced and cunning than you. Plus, he was built like a fucking brick wall. Though the thought of being pinned beneath that rock-hard body wasn’t an entirely unwelcome one. If only he weren’t such an asshole. You hadn’t yet had the pleasure of getting to train with him one on one, but you were dying to face him in the ring in order to learn. You’d seen him fight for sport with other members of Dauntless and he was a force of nature. If you’d manage to get even half as good as he was, you’d be unstoppable.

You’d almost reached the door when you noticed that there hadn’t been any security measures in place. No gate, no patrol. There were cameras, but they were operated by Dauntless, which meant Amity wouldn’t know unless your faction decided to inform them.

Frowning, you cleared your throat. “Eric?”

“What?”

You rolled your eyes behind his back. He couldn’t have sounded more annoyed if he’d tried. “Does Amity have no security measures in place?”

He snorted derisively. “No.”

“Why not?”

“They call it trust, I call it stupidity.”

“Has Dauntless ever tried getting them to install any?”

“What’s with the twenty questions, initiate?”

You groaned. “Will you just answer? I’m here to learn, aren’t I? And besides, you were Erudite, you should be the last person to discourage questions.”

He’d turned on you so fast, you barely had time to stop yourself from crushing into his chest before he had you pinned against the wall beside the door with a hand on your throat, lifting you onto your tiptoes.

“Faction before blood,” he stated in a low voice that was accompanied by a dangerous growl coming from the back of his throat.

Your hands were grabbing the one squeezing your neck as you tried to speak. Only a pitiful croak came out, so you nodded rather frantically with the little give he’d left you to get him to loosen his grip. But he wasn’t done just yet.

“Don’t ever question my behaviour again, initiate, or I will throw you down the chasm myself,” he said so softly you had to strain to make out the words. The relentless grip just shy of crushing your windpipe and the cruel glint in his eyes left no room for argument. And you knew he’d make good on that promise; Eric wasn’t one for idle threats.

Finally, he released you. He would’ve let you crumple to the ground in a heap at his feet, but your pride kept your legs from wobbling too much. You felt undeniably shaky as he turned on his heel and marched into the building without knocking. Popping up the collar of your jacket, you hoped his grip hadn’t left any visible marks as you followed him inside.

Faintly, you heard Eric bark at someone dressed in vibrant red to lead him to Johanna Reyes. The Amity’s eyes went wide at the command before he hurriedly went down the hall. You could’ve sworn you saw all colour drain from that poor boy’s face and you felt your mood lighten the tiniest bit; watching Eric terrify all of Amity in a matter of seconds sure would be fun.

You climbed a stairwell and found yourself in an airy room with high windows. The Amity didn’t really have a leader since they decided everything together, but Johanna Reyes was their chosen representative who dealt with the other Factions. She was a beautiful woman despite the scar marring the right side of her face that rendered her blind in one eye. You wondered whether she talked with a lisp when you noted the way the scar wound over her upper lip.

Johanna almost went in for a hug – the traditional Amity greeting – but reconsidered and shook his hand in the customary Dauntless greeting instead. Even though you couldn’t see Eric’s face, you were convinced he’d levelled her with his infamous glare of doom and you couldn’t help but give her mental kudos for not so much as flinching in response.

As she turned towards you with a friendly smile, Eric begrudgingly introduced you to each other. The warmth Johanna radiated stood in stark contrast to Eric’s icy demeanour. But although you were sure many people would favour her kindness, you were much more comfortable with his stoicism. She opened her arms the tiniest bit to indicate she’d like to hug you but you didn’t approach close enough, rather, you held out your hand in the same manner she’d greeted Eric. Obliging easily enough, you saw her good eye flit to Eric for a second and you thought you saw her smirk at him. The expression seemed so atypical for an Amity that you were bewildered. Then you remembered that she used to be Candor and you almost smirked in return. Somehow you had trouble picturing her among the members of your former faction who tended to be loud, cheeky and uncompromising in their honesty.

Angling your body towards Eric, you waited for him to take the lead, expecting him to start explaining the new protocol you’d been briefed on so thoroughly last week. Though you wouldn’t put it past him to have you regurgitate all the minute details just to torture you.

He looked at you and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “Here are the cameras that the Control Room has reported to be compromised. Go check them out.”

“You don’t want me to stay here?” you asked, confused.

Wasn’t the point of this for you to learn how interactions like this were supposed to work?

“No.”

“But –“

All of a sudden, Eric had stepped so close to you that the tips of your shoes were touching. You had to crane your neck to meet his gaze as he stared down at you with menace in his eyes, reminding you of his earlier warning. “That was an order.”

Swallowing heavily, you nodded and waited for him to hand you the paper. When he did, you turned on your heel and forced yourself to walk away in measured steps so it wouldn’t seem like you were fleeing from him or throwing a temper tantrum in front of another Faction’s leader.

Just before you reached the stairs, you heard him call, “Come back here when you’re done.”

Once you were back at the front door, you unfolded the piece of paper. It was a map of Amity on which the cameras were indicated as little red squares. The ones that appeared to be defective were crossed out in black. Sighing, you stepped outside, oriented yourself and set off to find the blasted things.

Had he been planning to send you on this errand from the start or was it retaliation for testing him on the ride here as much as you had?

The first camera was easy enough to find. It was situated at the back of Amity, looking towards the fence. Which was probably why the Dauntless in the Control Room had taken notice, you mused. From you position, you couldn’t see anything wrong with it. The lens appeared to be unobstructed and the little red light was blinking. Uncertainty swept over you. What exactly were you supposed to do? You didn’t have the slightest idea how to fix a defective camera, but you knew you couldn’t go back to the office and ask Eric. Not only was he already in a bad mood, but he’d also make you look like a fool in front of Johanna and your pride simply wouldn’t allow it.

Giving the camera a thoughtful glance, you pulled the headset you always carried when out on a job from the inside pocket of your jacket. After you placed the communication device in your ear and adjusted the mic, you activated it and called the Dauntless Control Room, stating your name and rank before asking to speak with someone who knew about the camera situation at Amity.

You couldn’t suppress a smile when Four answered.

“Hi, Four,” you greeted. “I’m at Amity and Eric told me to check on those cameras you guys reported to be compromised. I’m standing in front of the one looking out at the fence and I can’t see anything wrong with it. The lens isn’t dirty or obstructed as far as I can tell and the red light is blinking. Any idea what else I’m supposed to check for?”

“Eric isn’t with you?”

“No, he’s talking to Johanna.”

Four huffed and you could practically taste the disapproval coming from him. Since you weren’t too pleased with Eric at the moment either, it served to widen your smile.

“I need you to get a ladder and get up there. You’ll have to check the inside,” he instructed. “Organise some tools as well.”

“Alright, I’ll be back in a bit” you mumbled.

Seeing a few Amity crossing the yard, you realised they were your best shot at getting what you needed.

“Hey! You!” you shouted. “Get me a ladder and some tools I can take apart these cameras with.”

Huh, you thought, Eric must have rubbed off on you as you noticed how commanding you sounded.

You’d managed to get everything Four told you to and had him guide you through checking on all the cameras. Only two of them were actually broken, so Four made a note of it to have someone come out and install new ones.

It had taken ages or at least it felt like that because it had gotten dark while you were busy with your task. You’d nearly fallen off the damn ladder when the sound of thunder had surprised you. And as if that hadn’t been enough, it had started raining again while you were fixing the last camera. Now your clothes were decidedly damp and you knew you’d never make it back in time to the compound to take part in the wicked party Dauntless was throwing for Valentine’s Day, an old holiday that no one quite understood the use of. But if there’s one thing the Dauntless were good at it was seizing every opportunity to get blackout drunk.

Shivering, you went back into the main building, dragging mud after you that you were too disgruntled to care about. As you stepped back into Johanna’s office, you saw them comfortably sitting in front of a lit fireplace. Well, as comfortably as Eric could be. You weren’t quite sure he knew the meaning of relaxation.

“All done,” you said, stopping just inside.

“What has taken you so long?” Eric asked as he looked at you with a raised eyebrow.

You narrowed your eyes. Something in his expression made you wary, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on why that was.

“I’m not a damn technician, Eric,” you all but spat, “it took ages to fix those cameras. Two need to be replaced, by the way.”

“Fix them?” he drawled. “Why would you try to fix them?”

“Because you said –“

“To check them out. Nothing more. Like you said, you’re ‘not a damn technician.’”

Rage. Pure and unadulterated rage coursed through you at his smug face. You wanted to rip out those brow piercings with your teeth.

“You need to learn to take orders like a soldier. You wasted valuable time.”

He’d played you.

Suddenly, you were reminded of how surprised you’d been when you’d learnt Eric had been Erudite, because he looked and behaved like the very epitome of Dauntless. But you could see it now in the calculated way he’d anticipated how you’d act and used it to teach you a lesson.

Balling your hands into fists, you were convinced your face must be bright red as you tried to keep yourself from lunging at the jerk.

“But I’m training to become a leader,” you bit out.

“And you think you’ll never have to take orders should you make it?” he asked, sardonically.

Taking a deep breath in an effort to calm yourself and reduce the sound of blood rushing in your ears, you asked, “Then why the hell didn’t you come out to tell me that when it took me suspiciously long to get back here?”

“How else will you learn?”

Johanna must’ve read the murderous intent in your expression when she offered, “It’s gotten late and the weather has taken a turn for the worse. You’re both welcome to stay and celebrate Valentine’s Day with us, of course. I doubt you’ll make it back to Dauntless in time for your own party.”

Crossing your arms over your chest, you looked at Eric, silently daring him to refuse that offer. You would’ve pleaded with him to stay just so you could freshen up and get something to eat instead of arriving at the compound when everyone’s already passed out, but you were too furious at him.

“That won’t be necessary,” Eric said in that clipped tone of his.

“Au contraire,” you quickly interjected. “It’s very necessary. Johanna’s absolutely right. We can take a train back home tomorrow morning. Can’t we, Eric? I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t say no to a hot meal right now. You know, after I’ve been out in the cold for so long.”

You were glaring daggers at him.

“Really, Eric, she’s right. There’s no sense in rushing back tonight,” Johanna said in a calm voice.

“Fine,” he snarled at you before looking back at Johanna. “We’re thankful for that generous offer.”

“Splendid. I’ll have someone show you to a room. I’m afraid it’s a bit crowded here at the moment, so you’ll have to make do with one bedroom.” At Eric’s glower, she hastily added, “But it’s got two beds, of course.”

Fabulous, you thought. Being quarantined with Eric was bound to be fun. Maybe you could strangle him in his sleep … it would serve him right.

“That’ll do,” he said.

Not for the first time, you wondered if he could sound more arrogant if he tried.

“I’ll have to ask you to leave your weapons here, though. As you can imagine, Amity isn’t fond of them.”

“Out of the question,” Eric snapped.

“It’s only for the evening, Eric,” Johanna said and dared to lay a hand on his forearm in a gesture that was intended to be soothing.

Your eyes bugged. What a bold move, you thought, she’ll be lucky if he doesn’t bite her hand off for that.

The utter distaste on his face as he looked down at her hand without moving his head made her retract the appendage in an instant.

“Fine.”

After you’d handed your weapons over to Johanna for safekeeping, you stared in utter disbelief at the sheer amount of knives and guns Eric had been packing as he proceeded to divest himself of them. You wouldn’t be exaggerating if you stated there were enough piled onto Johanna’s desk to equip a small army and you had the sneaking suspicion that he hadn’t handed over every last one. Then again, neither had you. There was still one knife hidden inside your right boot. Even though you didn’t expect trouble to come calling while you were in the middle of the Faction that valued peace above everything else, you wouldn’t feel right if you’d been completely unarmed. Better be safe than sorry.

Following Eric and a middle-aged woman from Amity into a different building where she showed you to your room for the night, you barely took in your surroundings since you were muttering under your breath the entire time, calling him every name under the sun.

As the woman came to a stop in front of a non-descript door, his arm brushed your shoulder and you bit your tongue to stop yourself from saying something he’d make you regret. Stepping around him, you quickly glanced at the room before all but stomping into the small bathroom that was attached to it. You were tempted to slam the door, but you knew that would have been too childish.

After you’d locked yourself in, you peeled yourself out of your wet jacket. Johanna had offered you a change of clothes, but you’d rather die than put on Amity colours. Luckily, the rain hadn’t seeped through to your shirt, so you’d just leave the jacket off. Your trousers would have to dry on your body. Looking up into the mirror, you stared at your face. Your face which was streaked with dirt! No doubt from your rendezvous with the muddy ground after Eric had thrown you out of the train. That asshat! You couldn’t believe he hadn’t said anything when he’d gotten all close and personal outside the building earlier. He must have noticed! But, what were you thinking, of fucking course he hadn’t mentioned it. Eric was just being Eric.

How could one man manage to piss you off this much?

Once you’d gotten cleaned up and had almost thrown a fit over the red marks that were slowly turning purple on your neck, you went back into the bedroom. The very empty bedroom. Pinching the bridge of your nose, you realised Eric had left without you. He’d probably went ahead to the cafeteria that Johanna had told you to come to.

It wasn’t hard to find. Every, single Amity seemed to be headed there tonight, so you just followed a few stragglers. Most of the cafeteria was filled with rows of wooden tables that were as long as the room itself. Only a small area at the far wall was kept free and you guessed it was meant for dancing later on as there were instruments stacked next to it. You snorted when you saw the banjos.

They’d decorated the walls with papier-mâché hearts, golden cardboard cutouts depicting Cupid and heart-shaped garlands criss-crossing the ceiling. It was so tacky that you wrinkled your nose in distaste. The multitude of candles placed on every conceivable surface made for a pretty enough picture, though you couldn’t help but think of the fire hazard they posed with all the wood surrounding you.

Eric stuck out like a sore thumb in this mass of red and yellow, even though he’d chosen a seat in one of the corners as far away from everyone else as possible. For a second, you debated sitting somewhere else, but he might count that as you being afraid of him and that just wouldn’t do. As you made your way over to him, you noticed rose petals scattered all over the table. They must grow roses in those greenhouses you’d seen when you arrived at Amity. Suspiciously, there weren’t any in front of Eric’s seat. You’d bet you’d find them on the ground around his feet. That thought put a small smirk on your lips.

You grabbed a plate and cutlery before helping yourself to the thick stew from the pot that was standing in front of Eric. Grabbing a few slices of bread, you sat down opposite him.

“You could’ve waited for me, you know.”

“I know.”

“Then why didn’t you?” you asked, more to make conversation than because you wanted to know the answer.

“Need me to hold your hand, too?”

“No,” you scoffed. “But it wouldn’t kill you to show some manners.”

“It might.”

You shook your head at him as you dunked a thick slice of bread into the delicious-smelling stew.

Just as you were about to take a bite, Eric said, “I wouldn’t –“

Raising your eyebrows at him and your mouth hanging open with the bread suspended in mid-air, you saw him wave off whatever he was about to say, so you took a hearty bite. A secretive smile tugged at the corners of his lips that slightly worried you, but you knew asking him about it would be futile.

You were soon joined by a bunch of Amity taking the last free seats at your table who looked young enough to still be Dependants. Only two of them were bold enough to send a smile in your direction, the others cast furtive glances at the both of you. You wondered what they were thinking about the two Dauntless who were crashing their little party. Everyone here would’ve probably preferred it if you were gone, but they wouldn’t say so out of fear it would cause an argument. What a bunch of pansy cakes, you thought.

Glimpsing Johanna across the room, you grinned when you saw her taking a shot of clear liquid. As you let your gaze wander, you noticed that there were a few bottles going around. Leaning towards Eric, you asked, “What kind of alcohol do you think is in those bottles?”

“Liquor, I assume,” he drawled.

After polishing off a second helping and a ridiculous amount of bread, you stretched contentedly. A hand landed on your shoulder, making you glance up at Johanna. She held up the mysterious bottle clasped in her other hand.

“Can I offer you both a drink?” she asked.

“Sure,” you said maybe a bit too eagerly.

“No, thank you.” Eric had spoken at the same time and you marvelled at him actually sounding polite before you frowned.

“You’re not gonna have a drink?”

“No.”

That was weird. You knew for a fact that he wasn’t opposed to a drink or two, though you’d never seen him properly drunk. Suddenly, you were dying to witness a completely inebriated Eric. The mere thought of all the blackmail material it would give you, made you salivate.

“Come on,” you whined, “you know you want to. All the other kids are doing it …”

There was a glimmer of amusement in those cold eyes, but he declined once again. “Go ahead,” he told you.

Shrugging, you let Johanna pour you a shot before returning the favour. You clinked your glass with hers before tossing it back. The liquor burnt its way through your body and you shuddered.

“What’s this made of?” you asked.

Johanna smiled. “It’s an Amity special. Top secret, I’m afraid.”

“Please tell me you’ve got other beverages, because I don’t think I can drink this all night.”

Laughing, she said, “There’s cider and an array of non-alcoholic options to choose from. Why don’t you two let me introduce you to a few people?”

And so she did. First, Eric and you followed her over to a bunch of people that you guessed where the unofficial leaders of the faction before she asked a girl your age to show you a good time. After checking with Eric that he wasn’t going to be pissed at you if you took off for a while, you followed her to a group of girls that were dancing their little hearts out. You immediately joined in. Fortunately, the music was loud enough on the dance floor that you didn’t have to engage in too many conversations. During breaks, they mainly asked you about what life at Dauntless was like, which you answered as succinctly as possible.

“How did you get the bruises on your neck?” one of them asked with wide eyes.

“That’s just how we roll at Dauntless, baby,” you said as derisively as you could, not wanting them to ask further questions about that.

“So what’s the deal with him?” the same girl inquired with a nod in Eric’s direction.

You arched an eyebrow at her tone. It was somewhere between intimidated and lustful. And it made your hackles rise. “He is one of the leaders of Dauntless.”

“But he’s so young,” she exclaimed.

“And so handsome,” another chimed in.

“And he’d bite your head off if he overheard you gossiping about him,” you replied surly.

“He looks mean, but I wouldn’t mind taking him for a ride,” the first one said, giggling.

“He’d never waste his time on a banjo-strumming softy,” you snapped.

That instantly shut them up and they threw you affronted looks before pointedly turning their backs on you.

“Making friends, I see?”

The words were murmured into your ear, making you jump out of your skin. You swayed the tiniest bit as you turned around.

“It’s my superpower,” you said.

Eric smirked at you. “Are you drunk?”

“No!” you replied, “I don’t think so. It is awfully hot in here, though.”

“Come on then,” he said before he walked towards the door.

You ran into a chair as you followed him. Frowning at the offending piece of furniture, you stumbled when you tried to kick it. You heard Eric sigh before he took your elbow, guiding you across the room.

“Eric, it’s so hot! Why is the room spinning?”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

You leaned into him, slinging your free arm around his torso as you rested your head against his bicep.

“You’re always so mean to me,” you babbled, “but I like you anyway. You’re a good leader and have lovely eyes, but you always look so serious. And you make me angry a lot, because you’re a jerk half the time.” You stopped to grab at one of the heart-shaped garlands that had come undone before you continued, “I really wanna lick those neck tats of yours. Do you have more tattoos hidden by your clothes? You’re super hot, you know that? Awesome body, really. I bet you’ve got an eight pack.”

“Will you shut up now?” he said, but his voice sounded as though it was coming from far away.

Stepping outside, you let out a whoop at the fresh air. Your lips split into a goofy grin as you somehow managed to drape the stolen garland around Eric’s neck. “There. Very pretty.”

“Alright, knock it off!” he said, sounding beyond annoyed.

Your smile vanished. Frowning, you swayed on the spot for a bit then said, “I don’t feel so good.”

Before Eric had time to answer, you doubled over and emptied the contents of your stomach onto his shoes. You were too preoccupied to notice his snarl of anger as he dragged you over to the corner of the building where the Amity kept barrels that gathered rainwater. Dunking you head-first into one, you let out a high-pitched shriek when he pulled you back up. The water was so icy it made your teeth chatter but it didn’t prevent the world from going black.

* * *

 

You woke up to a headache. As you pried open your eyes only to be blinded by bright light, you quickly shut them again and whimpered pitifully. Your stomach rolled and you instinctively curled up in a fetal position, willing the nausea to pass. Slowly, you took note of the surface you were lying on; it was cool (a relief to your burning cheeks) and hard (to the detriment of your aching body). The nausea slowly passed and when you dared to open your eyes again to make sense of your surroundings, carefully stretching in the process, you realised you were spread out on the bathroom floor.

Sitting up groggily, you saw that the door was ajar. After climbing to your feet and splashing your face with a generous amount of water, you shuffled to the door without daring to glance at your reflection. Judging by the way you felt, the image wouldn’t be pretty.

You were met with a comfortably reclined Eric, who was leisurely sharpening a knife.

“Morning, sunshine,” he said way too loudly.

“Quiet down, would you?”

“Not feeling too good, huh?”

You didn’t grace that with an answer. “What happened last night? How did I get back here?”

“I had to carry you back.”

“And you didn’t put me in the perfectly comfortable bed because ….?”

“Because you didn’t deserve it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“How much do you remember?”

“Last memory is dancing with a bunch of girls.”

He laughed. You didn’t like that, he sounded way too happy and you already dreaded whatever came next.

“Oh, you missed all the good parts then.”

Groaning, you debated asking him not to tell you. But you’d rather know the truth than have him make insinuations for the foreseeable future. Besides, he’d probably tell you just to spite you if you asked him not to. “Hit me.”

“You required assistance to be led outside where you thanked me by puking on my shoes.”

“Oh god,” you whined, hiding your face in your hands. “I’m sorry.”

“But before that you told me all kinds of interesting stuff.”

You spread your fingers to cautiously glance at him.

“Oh, Eric, your eyes are so pretty,” he mimicked in a high voice.

You felt yourself blanching. “Now you’re just making things up!”

“You’re such a meanie, but I like you anyway and I wanna lick those neck tats of yours –“ He paused, eyeing you with obvious glee. “Shall I go on?”

“No! Stop! Please, stop,” you cried, but from the tidbit about wanting to lick his neck tats you knew he wasn’t lying. “I feel like I’m having the worst hangover of my life. How is that possible? I only had cider and a few shots. I haven’t been such a lightweight since I joined Dauntless.”

“Remind me, what serum does Amity have?”

“What?” you asked, confused. Why was he changing the subject? “They’ve got the peace serum. Why?”

“And do you know how they administer it?”

You blinked at him owlishly. “Via syringe?”

“If you’ve been fighting, yes,” he drawled. “But they also put it into the bread to keep their people happy and complacent.”

“The Amity are being drugged every day?” you screeched, outraged.

“Hmmm.”

Thinking back to how much bread you’d stuffed your face with yesterday, you groaned before realising that Eric hadn’t eaten any as far as you knew. Narrowing your eyes at him accusingly, you growled, “You knew that and you didn’t say anything?!”

He grinned sharply, reminding you of a shark. “I also suspect Amity’s special liquor might’ve had a little extra ingredient.”

Placing your hands on your hips, you glared at him. “You could’ve warned me!”

“I could’ve, but then I would’ve missed you telling me all those delightful observations of yours.”

At the reminder of what you’d told him, you felt sick again. “I’m gonna pretend this never happened. Mind if I take a shower?”

“Go ahead. Just don’t forget to clean my shoes after.”

“As if you’d let me,” you mumbled as you went back into the bathroom.

You slapped yourself mentally. Eric would be even more insufferable from now on. Suddenly, you were dreading the return to Dauntless where he’d doubtlessly use your unacceptable behaviour of the previous night to his advantage.

 


End file.
